We visited Kent’s Wildwood zoo near Canterbury offering adult-only evening sessions

An evening at a zoo may not be what people consider to be the wildest activity for a man in his early twenties to get up to on a weekend.

But as I drove into Wildwood nature reserve between Canterbury and Herne Bay at about 5.55pm on a Saturday, I’ll admit I was delighted and almost giddy to be here.

People have their own long-established views on zoos and wildlife parks and mine is one of support for those who treat the animals as a priority rather than a by-product.

This is something I consider Wildwood to fall on the right side of.

I’m here as Wildwood have launched their latest summer evening sessions for the year – six dates between now and August in which family and adult-only sessions take place between 6-9pm.

I’m more than happy to support local businesses and I’m a sucker for nature so naturally I struggle to find any downside to this.

And although there will always be a limit to the feeling of authenticity due to the very nature of what a wildlife park does, strolling around semi-aimlessly at dusk was a much more pleasant experience than trying to wrestle with the masses on a busy weekend.

Thanks to the evening setting, it actually meant I saw some of the animals at the park out and about for the first time in my years of coming.

Somehow, I’d never seen aquatic mammals like otters or rodents like beavers swimming and playing carefree within their enclosures – it was a very welcome sight.

Despite the fair number of people there, it was quiet – perhaps eerily so – but for those who love to hear the call of the wild as much as seeing it, this sets up a fantastic atmosphere to do it in.

Taking about an hour to walk around, Wildwood makes for a fascinating evening with some of the more interesting animals in excellent form.

Obviously, it can’t be guaranteed the animals will be out and about given the large spaces they have to roam.

But in my eyes, this makes for a better way to engage with animals and the work Wildwood does to conserve and protect species.

Hidden amongst the conifer trees are a group of deer, always beautiful and playful when not mindlessly munching on hay.

Around the corner, the wild boar roam, sniffing around with intent.

And between those, a rare albino wallaby bounces about its enclosure – instantly gaining the admiration of anyone who could catch sight of it.

Anyone with better photography skills than me would have had a blast waiting for the perfect moment to capture these – and a few looked as though they gave it a proper go.

About halfway through the evening, a bear talk was hosted, giving staff a chance to flex their mental muscles and captivate the audience – mission accomplished there.

There are also offerings of pizza and beer, with the fabulous Flatstone Pizza offering fresh meals.

Offering both family and adult-only evenings, Wildwood says it can offer a “serene and mystic” environment in which to do your nature-spotting.

I certainly think there’s merit to that sentiment.

I can also definitely think of worse ways to spend a Saturday evening, and quite frankly I’d be happy to find the time for this on a regular basis.

Family evenings are on June 15, July 20 and August 10 whilst Adult sessions are July 13 and August 3.

Tickets prices vary with adults expected to pay £17 and can be booked via the Wildwood website.